Warshaw seeks to bump comptroller race opponents from the ballot

The most crowded Democratic primary for state comptroller in decades may become a one-on-one contest if Drew Warshaw has anything to say about it. The former nonprofit housing executive filed specific challenges to tens of thousands of petition signatures gathered by his fellow insurgents Raj Goyle and Adem Bunkeddeko.

Goyle submitted over 31,000 signatures, more than double the 15,000 required to secure a spot on the ballot. Warshaw’s campaign is challenging nearly 25,000 of those signatures, arguing they aren’t legally valid for various reasons Bunkeddeko submitted a more modest 22,000, with the Warshaw campaign now challenging nearly 15,000 of them. If the state Board of Elections rules all of those signatures invalid, neither Goyle nor Bunkeddeko would have enough to remain on the ballot.

“The ballot should be open to anyone who follows the rules; no one expects perfection,” Warshaw Campaign Manager Sara Trenor said in a statement. “But candidates … should be expected to file petitions that comply with the basic standards of the well-worn law. Based on standard due diligence, our analysis shows that the petitions filed by Bunkeddeko and Goyle’s campaign fail that test by a wide margin.”

Warshaw campaign attorneys said they found numerous errors and inconsistencies within both Goyle’s and Bunkeddeko’s petitions. Warshaw’s campaign pointed out instances from both the other candidates where signatories appear to have the same handwriting, indicating the collector may have signed for the voter. That is not allowed. The Warshaw campaign also offered examples of instances where the voter did not provide a full street address and the witness did not sign a petition page.

“We have identified an exceptionally comprehensive set of problems with the candidates’ petitions,” said Leo Glickman, an election attorney for Warshaw. “So we are confident that we are going to prevail in our challenges; of course the final decisions will be made by the State Board of Elections and the courts.”

The campaigns for both Goyle and Bunkeddeko expressed confidence their petitions will hold up to scrutiny. While a spokesperson for Bunkeddeko did not offer further comment on the objections, a surrogate for Goyle offered a scathing rebuke of Warshaw’s “frivolous” attempt to take both candidates out of the race. 

“Raj has outraised Warshaw 2–1 in matching funds, and we’re gaining momentum,” said election attorney Ali Najmi. “In an effort to stop the bleeding, Warshaw is trying to suppress ballot access for the only South Asian and African American candidates in the race. It’s pathetic and desperate.”